Reaction to ‘Central Park Five’ $40 million settlement

“I think that the way we’ve proceeded was an understanding that, that had to be rectified in a way that made sense and a way that was mindful and careful, but I think we’re on the right track.”

Back in April 2014, Salaam told the AmNews outside a City Hall rally, “It has been said justice delayed is justice denied ... this has been the case. There was a speedy process to convict us; there has yet to be a speedy process of complete restorative justice. We have been patient; we want to finally move on with our lives and put this ugly nightmare to bed.”

While the Rev. Al Sharpton had a jubilant Wise at his National Action Network rally on Saturday, the other men have kept a public silence. They are awaiting a nod from Stringer and a federal judge to sign off on the deal.

Stringer spokesperson Eric Sumberg told the AmNews, “The comptroller’s office has received the proposed settlement between the city and the Central Park Five. As with all proposed settlements, under our charter-mandated authority, we will do our due diligence and provide feedback to ensure that any settlement we approve is in the best interests of the city.”

On April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili, 28, was beaten and raped while she jogged through Central Park. She was in a coma for over a month and said she could not remember much of the vicious assault.

The four Black youths and one Latino youth were arrested. Interrogated for hours without representation, they said that they were coerced by the NYPD into confessing. This while a bloodthirsty, frothing-at-the-mouth mainstream media charged that the “wilding” “savages” and “animals” must be held accountable. At the same time, real estate mogul Donald Trump took out four full-page ads demanding the return of the death penalty.

Meanwhile, activists and attorneys like Warren maintained that investigators always knew that no DNA or any other evidence linked the five youngsters to the crime. In 2002, while serving a life sentence for rape and murder, Matias Reyes just happened to bump into Wise and confessed to the crime for which the young man was in jail.

Even though his DNA was a match and even after District Attorney Robert Morgenthau—the DA who handled the case originally—agreed the men should be freed, the likes of then Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and lead prosecutors in the case like Elizabeth Lederer, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Fairstein and officer Mike Sheehan hung onto the claim that the five had to be involved.

In 2003, Richardson, Santana and McCray sued the city for malicious prosecution, racial discrimination and emotional distress. Bloomberg kept the suit in court for 12 years.

However, at the beginning of 2014, the signs of a conclusion became clear. U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis stayed litigation in the case for 30 days, and Ken Burns’ documentary “The Central Park Five” aired on TV and toured the nation. Public attention was focused on the case. Six months into 2014, and it is almost over.

Former City Council Member Charles Barron told the Amsterdam News, “Forty million dollars can never pay for the pain, suffering and the loss of the most critical youthful years of their lives.” Echoing a feeling expressed by many—particularly after Trump wrote a column this weekend slamming the settlement—Barron continued, “Donald Trump, the police interrogators and the prosecutors should be arrested for defamation of character, false arrest and false prosecution. Heads should roll. I hope this brings some semblance of closure for my beloved brothers and their families. The struggle continues.”

Meanwhile, former prosecutors Lederer and Fairstein have kept schtum. The two are represented by PR guru Alice McGillion, and when asked for a comment about the settlement, the ex-NYPD media spokesperson told the AmNews, “I do not believe the case is settled. Not sure when it will be or if they will have a statement at that time.”